Pak violates truce along LoC in Poonch, 3 women injured

Tribune News Service

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Jammu, April 12

Three women were injured, one of them critically, in heavy shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Sawjian sector of Poonch district onFriday.

The district administration said Pakistan targeted civilian areas in the Sawjian sector with mortar shells and small arms firing on Friday morning. It said Gagrian village of Mandi was the most affected.

“Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by resorting to mortar shelling and firing with small arms around 8.30 am along the LoC in the Sawjian sector of Poonch district on Friday,” said Lt Col Devender Anand, defence PRO.

The PRO said the firing and shelling continued intermittently till the afternoon but the Indian Army retaliated befittingly.

Pakistan used heavy weaponry and 120-mm mortar bombs to target the civilian areas after which the district administration advised the residents to stay indoors.

“Pakistan has targeted civilian areas of Gagrian village in the Mandi area, in which three women were injured. Two have received minor injuries, while one was critically injured and was shifted to Jammu for specialised treatment,” said Rahul Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, Poonch.

Some houses were also damaged in the shelling.

No cross-border trade has taken place via Poonch in the last two weeks. Earlier, the trade was suspended on April 2 due to continuous truce violation by Pakistan.

Pakistan has been continuously violating truce since the start of the year.

Last year, Pakistan violated the ceasefire 2,936 times. It was the highest in the past 15 years, with an average of eight cases daily. A total of 61 persons were killed and over 250 injured in 2018.